A “new” work by Leonardo

A Leonardo da Vinci that remained unauthenticated for centuries, has been identified by a group of American and European scientists and scholars. The painting will be exhibited at the National Gallery in London for the “Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan” exhibition running from 9 November 2011 to 5 February 2012.

The masterpiece, Salvator Mundi, (Saviour of the World) depicts Christ on a wooden panel. The painting was bought by art dealers at an estate sale in the United States about seven years ago. Neither the location of the auction nor the price of the piece has been revealed.

Speculation is rife that a $100 million offer has been turned down and that the owners are asking double that amount for the painting. Robert Simon, a specialist in Old Masters in New York, declared: “As representative of the owners I can say that the picture is not on the market,” as reported on artnews.com.

It took a long time to authenticate Salvator Mundi, as “it has been damaged and overpainted,” declared Simon.” It is not unusual for an Old Master to have been heavily restored. Paint has been lost, which is not surprising. The condition is not immaculate, but there is enough to convey an excellent impression.”

The painting is also said to have travelled to numerous different museums in cities such as Boston, New York and London. Experts added that it was acquired by Sir Francis Cook in the nineteenth century, but that the British collector did not know it was completed by da Vinci. According to the Burlington Magazine, he had “extraordinary pictures,” such as masterpieces by Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, van Eyck, Velázquez, and Rembrandt. The painting was then presented at auction at Sotheby’s in 1958, where it was listed as “Milanese School.”